A working space with low humidity is needed for production of a lithium-ion battery, for example. In this low-humidity working space, a caulking operation of a member containing lithium or the like is conducted. Lithium ions are converted into lithium metal by overcharge, which metal is converted into Li.sub.3 N through chemical reaction in the presence of water vapor, so that the working space must be kept at low humidity.
In the case where the worker goes into the low-humidity working space, his (her) eyes get dry, the mucous membrane of his (her) nose and his (her) lips get cracked, and he/she easily gets infected with a common cold virus. Further, due to sweat of the worker, it is difficult to retain low-humidity condition.
A prior art which solves these problems is shown in FIG. 15. This prior art is called a glove box, wherein a hermetic housing 2 provided with two flexible gloves 1 is equipped with a transparent glass plate 3 for viewing the interior working space and a pass box 4 placed alongside the housing, so as to be capable of opening/closing and hermetic. The glass plate 3 or the pass box 4 is opened, an item to work with is placed in the housing 2, and thereafter the glass plate 3 or the pass box 4 is hermetically closed. After the air in the housing 2 is forcefully exhausted by a vacuum pump mounted additionally, a dry inert gas such as argon is encapsulated from a pressuring reservoir 5 into the housing up to the normal pressure, which is the atmospheric pressure. The worker can insert his(her) hands and forearms in the gloves 1, and work with the item placed in the housing 2 under low humidity condition.
New problems in the prior art shown in FIG. 15 will be described. An inert gas such as argon is encapsulated into the working space in the housing 2, and the gloves 1 are provided in order to keep the encapsulated gas from dissipated into the atmosphere and outside air from entering the working space. Therefore, the worker needs to work via the gloves 1, with the result that the workability is lowered.
Further, every time an item is placed in and taken out of the working space of the housing 2, it is needed to forcefully exhaust the air in the working space and replace the inert gas such as argon, with the result that the workability is lowered.
An object of the invention is to provide a low-humidity working apparatus which has been improved so as to allow an operation in a working space with low humidity at an excellent workability.